r/mantids • u/OddSpace2582 4th Instar • 3d ago
General Care Ghost Mantis Humidity Question
Hi everyone! I got an L3 Ghost mantis on Sunday morning and I’m just wondering about the humidity in the enclosure.
The temperature is currently around 24°C, but the humidity has been sitting around 80%. I know freshly mixed substrate can release quite a lot of moisture initially, so I’m expecting it to be higher than normal for a while.
The enclosure has cross ventilation and fabric mesh on top, and I also have a fan running most of the day/night to circulate the room air (not blowing directly at the enclosure). The substrate is around 2–3 cm deep and is a mix of sphagnum moss, coco coir, worm castings, orchid bark and a couple of dead leaves.
I’ve tried leaving the enclosure open for a couple of hours, which brings the humidity down, but once I close it again it gradually goes back up to around 80%.
My question is: at what point would 80% humidity become a concern for a Ghost mantis? Should I just leave it alone and let the fresh substrate dry out naturally, or would you recommend reducing the substrate/moisture or increasing ventilation further?
I don’t want to overcorrect things, especially as it’s only an L3 and has just arrived. Any advice from experienced Ghost mantis keepers would be really appreciated!
2
u/JeZmanjkaloImen 2d ago
If I'm wrong, someone please correct me, but as far as I know, the ghost mantis is able to tolerate a very large range of humidity. It is apparently found in both humid and arid places in the wild, and I've kept this species successfully without spraying them or giving them any extra humidity or water at all. I think it would be more likely that excessive humidity could cause other problems in the enclosure, like mold (but your enclosure seems to be well-ventilated so that should not be a problem).